The best JRPGs of all time have some of the most memorable characters in video games. With stories that are so hauntingly beautiful that they make for an unforgettable experience.
Over the years there have been innumerable titles that have left a lasting impression on players. Hence, deciding which among them is the best is easier said than done and is often a very subjective choice.
If you are looking to get into the JRPG genre of video games (or are a veteran who is looking for a new game to dig into), our list today will go over some of the best that the past few decades have to offer.
But before moving onto the list, it’s important to go over what it is that makes a game a JRPG. And how it differentiates itself from the traditional role-playing genre.
Contents:
What is a JRPG?
Simply put, a JRPG is an abbreviation of “Japanese Role Playing Game”. It’s used to define an RPG that is designed and produced in Japan. The acronym is also an umbrella term for a game made in the style of a Japanese Role Playing Game.
Many consider the stylistic feature of the genre to be set by Dragon Quest (1986) and Final Fantasy (1987).
What separates a JRPG from a traditional RPG?
Today, the term is also given to those RPGs that are distinctly Japanese in design. Such that, they rely heavily on anime tropes and art styles with more emphasis on action than storytelling. Cutscenes are usually at a bare minimum, and most of the narrative is explored through character dialogues, environment, and setting.
Stories in JRPGs can also be considered “over the top”. The plot will open up with you accomplishing some fetch quests. By the time you reach the endgame, you are already training your party to “punch God in the face.”
Hence, this makes JRPGs significantly more challenging as the game progresses. The difficulty scaling will often force you to grind out high-level areas and dungeons.
The 11 best JRPGs of all time that you should play atleast once
From Chrono Trigger to Nier: Automata, here is a list of some of the best JRPGs of all time:
1) Chrono Trigger
Regarded as one of the best JRPGs to have ever been made. The 1995 SNES masterpiece Chrono Trigger is a must-play if you are new or even well-acquainted with the genre. Over the years, the game has been released on multiple platforms. However, it’s yet to get a long-awaited remake.
Chrono Trigger redefined the genre at the time by combining elements of time travel with a seamless battle transition. It had openly visible enemies on the map as opposed to the more popular random encounters, which were the norm.
The narrative is set around the titular hero Chrono as he and his party travel through time to save the world from a catastrophe. The story will take you through different eras and points in history, gaining more information as you go along. Your end-goal will be to prevent a post-apocalyptic future that is awaiting your world.
Chrono Trigger features multiple endings influenced by the decisions that you and your party make. Storytelling and characterization are masterfully crafted. Chrono Trigger is one of the best JRPGs of all time that you should be trying out if you are just entering the genre.
2) Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance (SMT5V)
Shin Megami Tensei 5 is the latest installment in the mainline Megaten series and has been heralded for years as one of the best JRPG franchises – as well as one of the most challenging. Few franchises have perfectly nailed “brutal but fair” difficulty quite like Shin Megami Tensei has. It is arguably one of the most approachable games in the series, while also being just as punishing as some of the previous games are – if you want it to be.
Knowing what the demons – yours and your opponents – can and cannot do will be the difference between life and death in this post-apocalyptic battle for the future of the world. Even the greatest challenges can be overcome with information and planning.
The base game was already incredible, but the recent release of Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance adds what is essentially a brand-new, fully fleshed-out story arc to go on. This route is its own adventure and changes the story to introduce new protagonists and threats. Having two 60+ hour games in one makes it more than worth the price of admission.
3) Octopath Traveler (1 and 2)
Octopath Traveler 1 and 2 are considered to be modern JRPG classics that play on tropes from SNES-era games. The original game and the sequel were inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. However, they do come with a fair bit of modern-day improvements that build around as well as champion some of the core fundamentals.
In both games, you will get to play with eight unique characters who have their own backstories. These characters also have their own distinct character class, and you journey through their story completing missions and recruiting other members to your party.
The story for each character is masterfully charted out, as you can easily immerse yourself into the worlds that Square Enix has created. You can spend over 100 hours completing just one of these stories which helps improve its replayability.
Both the Octopath Traveler games are quite grind-heavy as well. Progression will often force you to level up before going for a challenging encounter. So if you like the idea of spending hours min-maxing and getting the perfect party formation then the Octopath Traveler series will be some of the best JRPGs you can look into.
4) Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII is the most celebrated entry in the franchise. This is mainly because of the modified battle and magic system that it dropped with. The title took the best from Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VI, improving on some of the core fundamentals. Ultimately creating a more seamless experience between artstyle, battlesystems, world design, and visual fidelity.
FFVIII is the more underrated title in the franchise. And that didn’t change much even with the remastered version some years later.
FFVII was often criticized for how it implemented the new combat systems. FFVIII polished that quite a bit and the Limit Break feature is by far one of the most memorable in the series.
To take things up a notch, the game also lets you break the 9999 damage barrier by the time you finish it.
5) Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata is a masterpiece that often goes unrecognized by many RPG fans. The game might feel quite underwhelming if you are just completing the first ending, Route A. However, as you replay the title from different perspectives and continue the narrative through to Route E, the story of Nier: Automata opens up. It starts to paint a rather hauntingly beautiful picture of a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is already dead.
From biblical allegories to Nietzschean utterances, the core philosophy of the game deals a lot with the theory of the absurd. Where the very search for the meaning of life and existence is destabilized. Nier: Automata’s story is something that will stay with you, making you question your very place in the world.
The game’s OSTs are also something that is widely lauded and many feel that it creates a state of Synesthesia. Where one sensory information will cause you to experience it through “more than one sense simultaneously.”
When it comes to gameplay Nier: Automata has one of the most satisfying hack-and-slash systems in the genre. Combat will often switch on the fly leading to mini-games. When you are playing the story through the eyes of 9S you will have to shift between hacking and real-time combat.
Nier: Automata is a great entry-level game in the JRPG genre. However, you will have to be a bit patient with it and make your way through each of the main endings. Only then will you realize Yoko Taro’s vision.
6) Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered
In Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Remastered, Level-5 features a mixture of RPG elements that are beautifully combined with Studio Ghibli’s art style. This makes the JRPG a very charming experience for those new to the genre as it captivates the audience with both its music and world-class animation.
The narrative of the title is a rather tragic one which follows the tale of a young boy called Oliver. The protagonist is out on a journey to resurrect his deceased mother. The tale is an emotional rollercoaster that fans will not forget any time soon.
The art style complements the narrative exceptionally well, but what drives it home for players is the world design and the combat. While you pilot Oliver, you can freely switch between other familiars and characters when amid combat.
The gameplay features real-time mechanics, however, it also weaves in turn-based tactical elements which provide a fair bit of combat versatility.
If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli and their style of animation then Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Remastered will be the best JRPG for you to get into.
7) Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age is by far the best entry in the Dragon Quest series. Not only is the combat taken up a few notches when compared to previous entries, but the story is also the strongest yet.
It is the narrative that puts the title on the list today. It demonstrates a level of complexity beyond the typical “good versus evil” plotline. The story is pretty fast-paced with exceptional character development and world design.
As you make your way through the narrative, you start developing a strong kinship with the supporting characters. Each of them is very unique in their appearance and personality, and you eventually start to get to know more about them as the journey progresses.
The underlying theme of hope is what Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age so beautifully champions. Even through all the hardships and individual tribulations, the sense of adventure is never lost.
The tale is an emotional one that will play on your heartstrings the more you journey with your merry band.
8) Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals
Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals is a part of a series of RPGs that goes underappreciated until one plays them. The second game in the Estpolis series in Japan, Lufia 2 takes place roughly 100 hours before the first game. Fans who played the first game already know exactly how the sequel title is going to end – Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, after all, begins at the end of the Battle of Doom Island.
That’s what makes the game so fascinating, though. You know going in, that the game is going to have an incredibly sad ending, but it’s how you get there that makes it unforgettable. Meeting all the people who played a role in Maxim’s success makes it a far more emotional experience.
There are plenty of puzzles and secrets to uncover, and ultimately, there’s a world to save. Couple this with unforgettable music tracks like “The Savior of Those on Earth”, it will become clear that this is easily one of the best JRPGs of all time.
9) Dragon Quest 3: The Seeds of Salvation
If you’re talking about the best JRPGs of all time, no list is complete without Dragon Quest 3: The Seeds of Salvation. Coming to the West as a slightly censored Dragon Warrior 3, the game was so popular that thousands of kids (and adults) skipped school/work, in order to play it.
It was such a problem that the police got involved – for that reason, for years, Dragon Quest games were only released on Saturdays.
Dragon Quest 3 features the son of a hero, who is out to stop the Archfiend Baramos. With a party of customized, generic party members, he explores not only the overworld but the underworld, for a second, familiar quest once Baramos is defeated.
It’s a beautiful, challenging game, and though it’s getting a remake later this year, the original NES/Famicom version remains a classic, must-play game.
10) Monster Hunter: World
There are many who feel the Monster Hunter franchise counts as a JRPG series, and it is certainly one of the best. While the games seldom have complicated, JRPG-style plots, the grinding and challenging encounters put it here, alongside its aesthetic. These games are all about seeking out greater, stronger challenges out in the wild.
Monster Hunter: World was such a massive upgrade from previous games in the series. It gives players a larger, fully connected world to dive into. Visually stunning, Monster Hunter: World gave players the thrills and huge monster battles they were craving, compared to some lackluster previous entries.
11) Yakuza: Like a Dragon
The Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise certainly counts as RPGs – they are set in Japan and have unique leveling systems that are increased by getting into constant fights. While the games focused on Kiryu Kazuma (Yakuza 0-6) are excellent, it’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon that makes its way to the list of best JRPGs of all time. It was the first time the gritty crime drama turned into a turn-based JRPG.
With a brand new protagonist (Ichiban Kasuga), an admitted fan of the Dragon Quest series gets locked up for a crime he didn’t commit – much like Kiryu did – he gets embroiled in an incredibly over-the-top story in Yokohama, Japan. It features amazing character classes, ridiculous sidequests, and super-challenging bosses in the endgame.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon also has one of the best, most emotional stories in the series’ history, especially for people who grew up in the 80s/90s. Many of those older gamers will see some similarities in their lives, and have an even more powerful emotional connection to Kasuga and his journey.
